be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 CPU Cooler Review

In terms of CPU cooler manufacturers, there is something about the be quiet! branding that has something of a prestigious nature to it. Admittedly, we have never failed to be impressed with any of their product releases and perhaps that might be why.

With the recent launch of the Shadow Rock 3, however, we knew (before we even got it out of the box) that we were dealing with something pretty good here!

be quiet! Shadow Rock 3

For the sake of fairness, we must note that we do always approach be quiet! air coolers with some reticence. This is mostly down to the fact that we’ve had some bad installation experiences in the past. Particularly with the Dark Rock 3 which was so hard to install, it almost achieved a DNF.

The good news is, however, that be quiet! listened and, in the Dark Rock 4, we saw some significant improvements that have since transitioned over to alternative models.

So, all going well, we should have a pretty amazing cooler on our hands here. Let’s check out some of the details!

Features

• Impressive cooling performance of 190W TDP
• Five 6mm high-performance nickel-plated copper heat pipes with HDT technology
• Decoupled Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM high-speed fan
• Emits only 24.4dB(A) at maximum fan speed
• Asymmetrical construction avoids blocking memory slots in front of the cooler
• Elegant brushed aluminum top cover with bi-color surface
• Easily installable installation kit that can be mounted from above
• 3-year manufacturer’s warranty

Technical Information

For more in-depth specifications, please visit the official product page via the link here!

Dimensions

What Does be quiet! Have To Say?

“Shadow Rock 3 provides impressive cooling of 190W TDP and is designed for those searching for high performance air cooling and a low noise level. The brushed aluminum top cover with a bi-color surface adds a touch of elegance to this premium cooler.”

Exterior Packaging

As this is a be quiet! product, it’s hardly surprising to see the packaging taking on a black theme. The front of the packaging does go big and bold, however, with a nice clear image of the cooler.

Admittedly, while the rear of the packaging does get into the features, there’s a lot of wasted space here. It would’ve been nice to see be quiet! fill this out a little more as there is plenty to talk about with this cooler. At least what is presented is nice and clear though.

Accessories!

In terms of accessories, be quiet! provides you with everything you need out of the box including a screwdriver to help you install the radiator (more on this later in the review).

The parts are well presented and, in terms of the mounting components, are separated between Intel and AMD. As such, you shouldn’t have any difficulty making sure you get the right bits for your CPU socket.